Rate top gamesFinal Fantasy III (1990)
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Final Fantasy III is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square in 1990 for the Family Computer as the third installment in the Final Fantasy series and the last main series game for the console. It is the first numbered Final Fantasy game to feature the job-change system. The story revolves around four orphaned youths drawn to a crystal of light. The crystal grants them some of its power, and instructs them to go forth and restore balance to the world. Not knowing what to make of the crystal's pronouncements, but nonetheless recognizing the importance of its words, the four inform their adoptive families of their mission and set out to explore and bring back balance to the world.
System requirements for NES
Last Modified: Aug 29, 2025
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Final Fantasy III (1990) reviews and comments
Final Fantasy III features a brilliant growth system that lets characters change jobs at any time, giving players tens of thousands of possible strategies to tackle different enemies. It’s essentially the prototype for the series’ later peak in system design — Final Fantasy V. The game also offers plenty of side quests, greatly boosting replay value.
Unfortunately, enemy stats and abilities don’t fully take advantage of the flexible job system, making battles feel somewhat repetitive. The story takes a step back, reverting to the level of Final Fantasy I. Even so, these flaws don’t overshadow the fact that this was still one of the best RPGs of its era.